Boundary layer control
Encyclopedia
Boundary layer control refers to methods of controlling the behaviour of fluid flow boundary layers. This holds particular interest in aeronautical engineering because drag may be reduced whilst achieving high lift .
In the case of a freestream flow past a cylinder, a number of methods may be employed to control the boundary layer separation that occurs due to the adverse pressure gradient. Rotation of the cylinder can reduce or eliminate the boundary layer that is formed on the side which is moving in the same direction as the freestream. The side moving against the flow also exhibits only partial separation of the boundary layer. Suction applied through a slit in the cylinder near a separation point can also delay the onset of separation by removing fluid particles that have been slowed in the boundary layer. Alternatively, fluid can be blown from a faired slit such that the slowed fluid is accelerated and thus the point of separation is delayed.
In aeronautical engineering, boundary layer control refers to a number of methods of controlling the boundary layer of air on the main wing
of an aircraft. In doing so, parasitic drag
can be greatly reduced and performance likewise increased, while the usable angle of attack
can be greatly increased, thereby dramatically improving lift at slow speeds. An aircraft with a boundary layer control system thus has greatly improved performance over a similar plane without such a system, often offering the otherwise contradictory features of STOL
performance and high cruising speeds.
Much research was conducted to study the lift performance enhancement due to suction for aerofoils in the 1920s and 1930s at the Aerodynamische Versuchsanstalt in Goettingen.
An example of an aircraft which uses BLC is the Japanese sea plane the ShinMaywa US-1. This large four-engined aircraft is used for anti-submarine warfare
(ASW) and search and rescue
(SAR). It is capable of STOL
operation and very low air speeds, useful for both ASW and SAR.
In the case of a freestream flow past a cylinder, a number of methods may be employed to control the boundary layer separation that occurs due to the adverse pressure gradient. Rotation of the cylinder can reduce or eliminate the boundary layer that is formed on the side which is moving in the same direction as the freestream. The side moving against the flow also exhibits only partial separation of the boundary layer. Suction applied through a slit in the cylinder near a separation point can also delay the onset of separation by removing fluid particles that have been slowed in the boundary layer. Alternatively, fluid can be blown from a faired slit such that the slowed fluid is accelerated and thus the point of separation is delayed.
In aeronautical engineering, boundary layer control refers to a number of methods of controlling the boundary layer of air on the main wing
Wing
A wing is an appendage with a surface that produces lift for flight or propulsion through the atmosphere, or through another gaseous or liquid fluid...
of an aircraft. In doing so, parasitic drag
Parasitic drag
Parasitic drag is drag caused by moving a solid object through a fluid medium . Parasitic drag is made up of many components, the most prominent being form drag...
can be greatly reduced and performance likewise increased, while the usable angle of attack
Angle of attack
Angle of attack is a term used in fluid dynamics to describe the angle between a reference line on a lifting body and the vector representing the relative motion between the lifting body and the fluid through which it is moving...
can be greatly increased, thereby dramatically improving lift at slow speeds. An aircraft with a boundary layer control system thus has greatly improved performance over a similar plane without such a system, often offering the otherwise contradictory features of STOL
STOL
STOL is an acronym for short take-off and landing, a term used to describe aircraft with very short runway requirements.-Definitions:There is no one accepted definition of STOL and many different definitions have been used by different authorities and nations at various times and for a myriad of...
performance and high cruising speeds.
Much research was conducted to study the lift performance enhancement due to suction for aerofoils in the 1920s and 1930s at the Aerodynamische Versuchsanstalt in Goettingen.
An example of an aircraft which uses BLC is the Japanese sea plane the ShinMaywa US-1. This large four-engined aircraft is used for anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare is a branch of naval warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, or other submarines to find, track and deter, damage or destroy enemy submarines....
(ASW) and search and rescue
Search and rescue
Search and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, mostly based upon terrain considerations...
(SAR). It is capable of STOL
STOL
STOL is an acronym for short take-off and landing, a term used to describe aircraft with very short runway requirements.-Definitions:There is no one accepted definition of STOL and many different definitions have been used by different authorities and nations at various times and for a myriad of...
operation and very low air speeds, useful for both ASW and SAR.
See also
- Blown flapBlown flapBlown flaps are a powered aerodynamic high-lift device invented by the British and used on the wings of certain aircraft to improve low-speed lift during takeoff and landing. The process is sometimes called a boundary layer control system . They were a popular design feature in the 1960s, but fell...
- Coandă effectCoanda effectThe Coandă effect is the tendency of a fluid jet to be attracted to a nearby surface. The principle was named after Romanian aerodynamics pioneer Henri Coandă, who was the first to recognize the practical application of the phenomenon in aircraft development....
- High-lift deviceHigh-lift deviceIn aircraft design, high-lift devices are moving surfaces or stationary components intended to increase lift during certain flight conditions. They include common devices such as flaps and slats, as well as less common features such as leading edge extensions and blown flaps.-Purpose:Aircraft...
- Circulation control wingCirculation control wingA circulation control wing is a form of high-lift device for use on the main wing of an aircraft to increase the lift coefficient. CCW technology has been in the research and development phase for over sixty years, and the early models were called blown flaps.The CCW works by increasing the...
- Leading edge slotLeading edge slotA leading edge slot is an aerodynamic feature of the wing of some aircraft to reduce the stall speed and promote good low-speed handling qualities. A leading edge slot is a span-wise gap in each wing, allowing air to flow from below the wing to its upper surface...
- Boundary layer suctionBoundary layer suctionBoundary layer suction is technique in which an air pump is used to extract the boundary layer at the wing or the inlet of an aircraft. Improving the air flow can reduce drag. Improvements in fuel efficiency have been estimated as high as 30%....
- Vortex generatorVortex generatorA vortex generator is an aerodynamic surface, consisting of a small vane or bump that creates a vortex. Vortex generators can be found on many devices, but the term is most often used in aircraft design....
- aerodynamicsAerodynamicsAerodynamics is a branch of dynamics concerned with studying the motion of air, particularly when it interacts with a moving object. Aerodynamics is a subfield of fluid dynamics and gas dynamics, with much theory shared between them. Aerodynamics is often used synonymously with gas dynamics, with...
- TurbulatorTurbulatorA turbulator is a device that turns a laminar flow into a turbulent flow. Turbulent flow can be desired on parts of the surface of an aircraft wing or in industrial applications such as heat exchangers and the mixing of fluids.-Airfoil turbulators:...